Connected dental device

ABSTRACT

A system for providing a connected dental device is disclosed. In particular, the system may include integrating a network chip or transceiver into a dental device, such as a toothbrush, so as to enable the dental device to communicate with a user device and one or more accessory devices. Once the user device and one or more accessory devices are paired with the user device, the system may track information associated with the dental device and the user using the dental device. Based on the tracked information, the system may determine an action to be performed by the user using the dental device. Using the dental device, the system may transmit a notification to the user device to alert the user of the action that needs to be performed. The system may also transmit notifications providing status information for the dental device and the one or more accessory devices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/091,771, filed on Apr. 6, 2016, which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to technologies for oral care, dentaldevices, wireless devices, monitoring and alert systems, andcommunications networks, and more particularly, to a system and methodfor providing a connected dental device, such as a toothbrush.

BACKGROUND

In today's society, users are typically aware that practicing good oralhygiene habits are necessary in order to preserve oral health. Forexample, many users are aware that dentists typically recommend thatusers should brush their teeth after every meal, floss daily, and use amouth rinse to kill bacteria, to prevent cavities, to prevent plaquebuildup, to prevent gum disease, to prevent bad breath, or to preventother oral-related conditions. Additionally, such users are typicallyaware that they should visit their dentist at least once a year forcheckups and cleanings in order to maintain good oral health. In orderto maintain their oral health, users typically utilize a variety ofdental-related products. Such dental-related products include, but arenot limited to, toothbrushes, toothpaste, oral irrigators, dental floss,water flossers, whitening strips, mouthwash, and other similar products.While users are often aware that they have to use such products in acertain manner in order to maintain good oral health, users often failto do so. For example, instead of brushing their teeth with a toothbrushtwice a day, many users may only brush their teeth once a day or at someother frequency. As another example, many users do not floss their teethwith dental floss on a regular basis, if at all. Similarly, many usersdo not brush their teeth in the correct manner for the correct durationof time recommended by dentists. Furthermore, many users fail to visittheir dentist each year, and often only visit their dentist once an oralhealth issue has arisen.

While current oral health technologies provide a variety of beneficialfeatures and functions, there is still room to substantially enhance andimprove such technologies. For example, while current versions ofelectric toothbrushes provide substantially better cleaning action thanstandard non-electric toothbrushes, many users do not use electrictoothbrushes correctly. Additionally, while many users have begun to useoral irrigators and water flossers in combination with traditionaldental floss to remove plaque and bacteria buildup, such devices areoften not used correctly or frequently enough. Based on the foregoing,oral health technologies may be modified so as to provide enhancedfunctionality for users, improved services for users, and additionalfeatures for users. Such enhancements and improvements to oral healthtechnologies may provide for improved user satisfaction, improved userexperiences, improved oral health, and increased user compliance withdentist-recommended regimens.

SUMMARY

A system and accompanying methods for providing a connected dentaldevice are disclosed. In particular, the system and methods enable adental device, such as a toothbrush, to be communicatively linked to auser device and a communications network so as to track and shareinformation associated with a user's use of the dental device, generateand transmit various types of notifications, and facilitate the user inimproving his or her oral health. In order to accomplish the foregoing,the system and methods may include incorporating a transceiver or otherdevice (e.g. network chip) into a dental device so as to enable thedental device to communicate with the user device and the communicationsnetwork. Additionally, a component of the dental device may include anidentifier that may be utilized to identify a user that utilizes thedental device. For example, if the dental device is a toothbrush, aremovable toothbrush head of the toothbrush may include a communicationstag that contains information that identifies a particular user of thedental device. The communications tag may be scanned or otherwiseaccessed by the dental device, which may then provide the identifier andany other scanned information to an application of the user device.

The user may begin using the dental device to clean his or her teeth,and, while the user is using the dental device, sensors and componentsof the dental device may collect information associated with the user'suse of the dental device. For example, a temperature sensor of thedental device may obtain temperature measurements for the dental device(or the user's mouth) and transmit the temperature measurements to theapplication of the user device. As another example, a camera of thedental device may record video content of the user's mouth and thedental device may transmit the video content to the application of theuser device. Many types of additional information may be collected andtransmitted to the application. For example, the dental device maycollect information utilized to determine the angle at which the userholds the dental device while using the dental device, informationutilized to determine the amount of pressure that the user presses thedental device against his or her teeth, information utilized todetermine whether the user's mouth or gums are bleeding, informationutilized to determine the user's blood sugar levels, information todetermine the user's pattern of using the dental device, information todetermine how long the user has utilized the dental device, informationutilized to determine the user's brushing style, information utilized todetermine power levels of the dental device, information utilized todetermine an age of components of the dental device, along with anyother information.

Based on the information collected, the system and methods may includeanalyzing the information to determine one or more actions that need tobe performed using the dental device, by the user himself, or otherwise.For example, if the system determines that the user brushes the teeth onthe right side of his mouth twice as long as the teeth on the left sideof his mouth, the system may determine that the user needs to brush theteeth on the left side of his mouth for a longer duration. As anotherexample, the system may determine that, based on the sensor information,that the user's gums are bleeding. In this case, the system maydetermine that the user needs to brush the areas of the user's teeththat are close to the user's gums more frequently. Once the action to beperformed is determined, the system and methods may include transmittinga notification to the user device indicating the action to be performed.The notification may displayed on a graphical user interface of theapplication executing on the user device. The system and methods maythen include determining if the action has been performed based on theuser's subsequent use of the dental device. If the action has beenperformed, the system and methods may include transmitting anotification to the application indicating that the action has beensuccessfully performed. If the action has not been performed, the systemand methods may include transmitting a reminder notification to theapplication instructing the user to perform the action. In certainembodiments, the system and methods may also be utilized to scheduledentist appointments, provide reminders for upcoming dentistappointments, alert the user to recharge the dental device, alert theuser to replace a component of the dental device, provide other alertsor reminders, or detect various dental conditions. As a result, thesystem and methods may assist users in maintaining oral health,maintaining compliance with regimens prescribed by dental professionals,and reducing incidences of dental or other diseases.

In one embodiment, a system for providing a connected dental device isdisclosed. The system may include a memory that stores instructions anda processor that executes the instructions to perform various operationsof the system. The system may perform an operation that includescommunicatively pairing a dental device with a user device. In certainembodiments, the pairing may be facilitated via a wireless transceiverof the dental device. The system may then perform an operation thatincludes identifying, by utilizing the dental device, a first userassociated with the dental device. The first user may be identifiedbased on analyzing a first identifier of a first component of the dentaldevice. The system may proceed to perform an operation that includestracking, after identifying the first user and based on use of thedental device, information associated with the first user and the dentaldevice. Based on the information associated with the first user and thedental device, the system may include performing an operation thatincludes generating a notification indicating an action to be performedwith the dental device. Finally, the system may include performing anoperation that includes transmitting the notification to the userdevice.

In another embodiment, a method for providing a connected dental deviceis disclosed. The method may include utilizing a memory that storesinstructions, and a processor that executes the instructions to performthe various functions of the method. The method may includecommunicatively pairing a dental device with a user device. The pairingmay be facilitated via a wireless transceiver of the dental device.Additionally, the method may include identifying, by utilizing thedental device, a first user associated with the dental device. The firstuser may be identified based on analyzing a first identifier of a firstcomponent of the dental device. After identifying the first user andbased on use of the dental device, the method may include trackinginformation associated with the first user and the dental device. Basedon the information associated with the first user and the dental device,the method may include determining an action to be performed with thedental device. The method may then include generating a notificationindicating the action to be performed with the dental device. Finally,the method may include transmitting the first notification to the userdevice.

According to yet another embodiment, a computer-readable device havinginstructions for providing a connected dental device is provided. Thecomputer instructions, which when loaded and executed by a processor,may cause the processor to perform operations including: communicativelypairing a dental device with a user device, wherein the pairing isfacilitated via a wireless transceiver of the dental device;identifying, by utilizing the dental device, a first user associatedwith the dental device, wherein the first user is identified based onanalyzing a first identifier of a first component of the dental device;monitoring, after identifying the first user and while the first user isusing the dental device, information associated with the first user andthe dental device; determining, based on the information associated withthe first user and the dental device, an action to be performed with thedental device; generating a first notification indicating the action tobe performed with the dental device; and transmitting the firstnotification to the user device.

These and other features of the systems and methods for providing aconnected dental device are described in the following detaileddescription, drawings, and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for providing a connecteddental device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating various components of theconnected dental device and various components of the dispenser utilizedin the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a sample method for providing aconnected dental device according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a machine in the form of a computersystem within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause themachine to perform any one or more of the methodologies or operations ofthe systems and methods for providing a connected dental device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A system 100 and accompanying methods for providing a connected dentaldevice 110 are disclosed. In particular, the system 100 and methodsenable a dental device 100, such as a toothbrush, to be communicativelylinked to a user device (e.g. first user device 102) and acommunications network 135 so as to track and share informationassociated with a user's use of the dental device 110, generate andtransmit various types of notifications, and facilitate the user inimproving his or her oral health. In order to accomplish the foregoing,the system 100 and methods may include incorporating a transceiver 117or other device (e.g. network chip) into a dental device 110 so as toenable the dental device 110 to communicate with the user device and thecommunications network 135. Additionally, a component of the dentaldevice may include an identifier that may be utilized to identify a userthat utilizes the dental device. For example, if the dental device is atoothbrush, a removable toothbrush head 118 of the toothbrush mayinclude a communications tag 119 that contains information thatidentifies a particular user of the dental device 110. Thecommunications tag 119 may be scanned or otherwise accessed by thedental device 110, which may then provide the identifier and any otherscanned information to an application of the user device.

The user may proceed to use the dental device 110 to clean his teeth,and sensors and components of the dental device 110 may collectinformation associated with the user's use of the dental device 110. Forexample, a temperature sensor 120 of the dental device 110 may obtaintemperature measurements for the dental device 110 and transmit thetemperature measurements to the application of the user device. Asanother example, cameras 122, 124 of the dental device 110 may recordvideo content of the user's mouth and the dental device 110 may transmitthe video content to the application of the user device. As a furtherexample, an accelerometer 113 of the dental device 110 may indicate thespeed at which the user moves the dental device 110, and a gyroscope 114of the dental device may provide orientation information for the dentaldevice 110. Many types of additional information may be collected andtransmitted to the application. For example, the dental device maycollect information utilized to determine the angle at which the userholds the dental device 110 while using the dental device 110,information utilized to determine the amount of pressure that the userpresses the dental device 110 against his teeth, information utilized todetermine whether the user's mouth or gums are bleeding, informationutilized to determine the user's blood sugar levels, information todetermine the user's pattern of using the dental device 110, informationto determine how long the user has utilized the dental device 110,information utilized to determine the user's brushing style, informationutilized to determine power levels of the dental device 110, informationutilized to determine an age of components of the dental device 110,along with any other information. The system 100 and methods may alsoinclude obtaining information from one or more accessories associatedwith the dental device 110, such as a toothpaste dispenser 125, oralirrigator, water flosser, or other device.

Based on the information collected, the system 100 and methods mayinclude analyzing the information to determine one or more actions thatneed to be performed using the dental device 110, by the user himself,or otherwise. For example, if the system 100 determines that the userhas utilized a toothbrush head 118 of the dental device 110 for greaterthan a threshold period of time, the system 100 may determine that theuser needs to replace the toothbrush head 118. As another example, thesystem 100 may determine that, based on the sensor information, that theuser has a cavity in one of his teeth. In this case, the system 100 maydetermine that the user needs to go to the dentist within a certainperiod of time. Once the action to be performed is determined, thesystem 100 and methods may include transmitting a notification to theuser device indicating the action to be performed. The notification maydisplayed on a graphical user interface of the application executing onthe user device. The system 100 and methods may then include determiningif the action has been performed based on the user's subsequent use ofthe dental device, based on the user inputting information indicatingcompletion of the action, or by receiving information from the user'sdental professional. If the action has been performed, the system 100and methods may include transmitting a notification to the applicationindicating that the action has been successfully performed. If theaction has not been performed, the system 100 and methods may includetransmitting a reminder notification to the application, whichreinstructs the user to perform the action. In certain embodiments, thesystem 100 and methods may also be utilized to schedule dentistappointments, provide reminders for upcoming dentist appointments, alertthe user to recharge the dental device 110, alert the user to replace acomponent of the dental device, provide other alerts or reminders, ordetect various dental conditions. As a result, the system 100 andmethods may assist users in maintaining oral health, maintainingcompliance with regimens prescribed by dental professionals, andreducing incidences of dental or other diseases.

As shown in FIG. 1, a system 100 that provides a connected dental deviceis disclosed. The system 100 may be configured to support, but is notlimited to supporting, cloud computing services, dental applications andservices, content delivery services, IPTV services, IP MultimediaSubsystem (IMS) services, satellite services, fiber services, telephoneservices, voice-over-internet protocol services (VoIP),voice-over-long-term-evolution (VoLTE) services, LTE services, softwareas a service (SaaS) applications, healthcare applications and services,gaming applications and services, social media applications andservices, operations management applications and services, productivityapplications and services, mobile applications and services, and anyother computing applications and services. The system may include afirst user 101 that may utilize a first user device 102 to accesscontent, data, and services, or to perform a variety of other functions.As an example, the first user 101 may utilize first user device 102 totransmit signals to the system 100 to request various types of mediacontent stored within the database 155, perform any other operations, orany combination thereof. Media content may include, but is not limitedto, audio content, video content, image content, web content, textcontent, any type of content, or any combination thereof. As anotherexample, the first user 101 may utilize the first user device 102 tocommunicatively interact with the dental device 110, the dispenser 125,any other device in the system 100, or any combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the first user 101 may be a subscriber of aservice provider that controls communications network 135, and the firstuser device 102 may be equipped for mobile communication. The first userdevice 102 may include a memory 103 that includes instructions, and aprocessor 104 that executes the instructions from the memory 103 toperform the various operations that are performed by the first userdevice 102. In certain embodiments, the processor 104 may be hardware,software, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the firstuser device 102 may be a computer, a laptop, a set-top-box, a tabletdevice, a phablet, a server, a mobile device, a smartphone, a smartwatch, or any other type of computing device. Illustratively, the firstuser device 102 is shown as a smartphone device in FIG. 1. In certainembodiments, the first user device 102 may communicate with the otherdevices in the system 100 by utilizing infrared radiation, Bluetoothconnectivity, ZigBee, Z-Wave, any type of wireless protocol, radiotechnologies, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, thefirst user device 102 may include a wireless transceiver, module, and/orchip, such as a Bluetooth chip, near-field communications chip, or othersimilar technology to enable the first user device 102 to communicatewith other devices in the system 100.

The system may also include a second user 105 that may utilize a seconduser device 106 to also access content, data, and services, and toperform a variety of other functions. For example, the second userdevice 106 may be utilized by the second user 105 to transmit signals torequest various types of content, services, and data provided by contentand service providers associated with the communications network 135 orany other network in the system 100. In certain embodiments, the seconduser 105 may be a subscriber of a service provider that controlscommunications network 135. The second user device 106 may be equippedfor mobile communication. The second user device 106 may include amemory 107 that includes instructions, and a processor 108 that executesthe instructions from the memory 107 to perform the various operationsthat are performed by the second user device 106. In certainembodiments, the processor 108 may be hardware, software, or acombination thereof. Similar to the first user device 102, in certainembodiments, the second user device 106 may be a computer, a laptop, atablet device, a phablet, a server, a mobile device, a smartphone, asmart watch, or any other type of computing device. Illustratively, thesecond user device 106 is shown as a tablet device in FIG. 1. In certainembodiments, the second user device 106 may communicate with the otherdevices in the system 100 by utilizing infrared radiation, Bluetoothconnectivity, ZigBee, Z-Wave, any type of wireless protocol, radiotechnologies, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, thesecond user device 106 may include a wireless transceiver, module,and/or chip, such as a Bluetooth chip, near-field communications chip,or other similar technology to enable the second user device 106 tocommunicate with other devices in the system 100.

In certain embodiments, the first and second devices 102, 106 may haveany number of software applications and/or application services storedand/or accessible thereon. For example, the first and second devices102, 106 may include healthcare applications, cloud-based applications,VoIP applications, other types of phone-based applications,product-ordering applications, business applications, e-commerceapplications, media streaming applications, content-based applications,media-editing applications, database applications, gaming applications,internet-based applications, browser applications, mobile applications,service-based applications, productivity applications, videoapplications, music applications, social media applications, any othertype of applications, any types of application services, or acombination thereof. In certain embodiments, the software applicationsand services may include one or more graphical user interfaces so as toenable the first and second users 101, 105 to readily interact with thesoftware applications. The software applications and services may alsobe utilized by the first and second users 101, 105 to interact with anydevice in the system 100, any network in the system 100, or anycombination thereof. In certain embodiments, the first and seconddevices 102, 106 may include associated telephone numbers, deviceidentities, or any other identifiers to uniquely identify the first andsecond devices 102, 106.

In certain embodiments, the first and second devices 102, 106 may havecorresponding device profiles. In certain embodiments, each of the otherdevices in the system 100 may have their own corresponding deviceprofiles. For example, the dental device 110 and the dispenser 125 ofsystem 100 may have their own device profiles. Information included in adevice profile may include, but is not limited to, informationspecifically corresponding to the first and second devices 102, 106,information identifying the types of devices that the first and seconddevices 102, 106 are, information relating to how the first user 101utilizes the first user device 102, information relating to how thesecond user 105 utilizes the second user device 106, informationidentifying what type of services and information the first user 101 andsecond user 105 access, information indicating each type of componentincluded in the first and second devices 102, 106, informationidentifying the processing power, storage capacity, downloadcapabilities, and upload capabilities associated with the first andsecond devices 102, 106, any other information associated with the firstand second devices 102, 106, or any combination thereof. The deviceprofiles may be made accessible to any device, network, or a combinationthereof, in the system 100.

In addition to device profiles, the system 100 may also include userprofiles. A user profile may be a profile corresponding to the firstuser 101, the second user 105, or any other user. For example, the firstuser's 101 profile may include information, such as, but not limited to,a name of the first user 101, the age of the first user 101, demographicinformation associated with the first user 101, information identifyingthe first user device 102 of the first user 101, the types of services,such as content delivery services, subscribed to by the first user 101,information identifying a location of the first user 101, informationidentifying the applications that the first user 101 utilizes,information that identifies the first user's 101 toothbrush head 118,information that identifies how the first user 101 utilizes the dentaldevice 110, information obtained from any of the sensors of the dentaldevice 110, information associated with the dispenser 125, anyinformation collected in the system 100, and any other information. Theuser profiles may be stored directly on the first user device 102, thesecond user device 106, the database 155, on any other device in thesystem 100, or on any combination thereof. Additionally, the userprofiles may be accessible by any device in the system 100, any networkin the system 100, or a combination thereof.

The system 100 may include a dental device 110 that may be utilized bythe first and second users 101, 105. The dental device 110 may be anytype of dental device including, but not limited to, an electrictoothbrush, a traditional toothbrush, an oral irrigator, a waterflosser, a teeth whitener device, a retainer, a mouthpiece, a dentalpick, a gingival stimulator, a dental scraper, a dental explorer, anytype of dental instrument, or any combination thereof. In FIGS. 1-2, thedental device 110 is illustratively shown as an electric toothbrush. Incertain embodiments, the dental device 110 may include a memory 111 thatstores instructions and a processor 112 that executes the instructionsto perform various operations performed by the dental device 110. Incertain embodiments, the processor 112 may be hardware, software, or acombination thereof. The memory 111 may be configured to store anyinformation about the dental device 110, such as, but not limited to,information identifying the model of the dental device 110, technicalspecifications of the dental device 110, how and when the dental device110 is activated and/or used, any other information associated with thedental device 110, an identification of users that use the dental device110, any other information, or any combination thereof. The dentaldevice 110 may include one or more sensors and/or components. Forexample, the dental device 110 may include an accelerometer 113, whichmay be configured to measure a rate of acceleration associated withmovements made by the dental device 110. In certain embodiments, theaccelerometer 113 may be configured to measure the rate at which thedental device 110 vibrates when switched on and used by a user, such asthe first user 101.

In certain embodiments, the dental device 110 may also include agyroscope 114, which may be configured to measure the orientation of thedental device 110 and how the dental device 110 is rotated during use.Additionally the gyroscope 114 may collect measurements that may beutilized to determine the angles at which the dental device 110 is heldby a user while using the dental device 110 or otherwise. The dentaldevice 110 may also include a compass 115, which may be utilized todetermine a direction in which the dental device is facing. For example,the compass 115 may be utilized to determine where the direction atwhich the toothbrush head 118 of the dental device 110 is facing. Thedental device 110 may also include a power source 116, which may be arechargeable battery or other power source that may deliver power to thedental device 110 to allow it to operate. In certain embodiments, thedental device 110 may include a transceiver 117, which may include anyfunctionality and componentry of a transceiver and may include anantenna, which may be utilized to transmit and receive signals tocommunicate with the various devices in the system 100, such as, but notlimited to, first user device 102, second user device 106, dispenser125, servers 140, 145, cell site 137, or any combination thereof. Incertain embodiments, the transceiver 117 may enable the dental device110 to communicate using various types of wireless technologies, suchas, but not limited to radio frequency identification (RFID), NFC,Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and other suchtechnologies.

In certain embodiments, the dental device 110 may include a camera 124,which may be configured to record media content. For example, when auser is using the dental device 110, the camera 124 may be utilized torecord video content of the user's mouth as the user is brushing histeeth. The dental device 110 may also include a display 131, which maybe a liquid crystal display (LCD) or other type of display. The display131 may be configured to display status updates associated with thedental device 110, notifications generated by the system 100,information associated with the first and second users 101, 105, anyother information, or any combination thereof. Additionally, the dentaldevice 110 may include any number of sensors, such as, but not limitedto, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a pH sensor, a blood sugarsensor, any other type of sensor, or any combination thereof. Thesensors may be located within the dental device 110, on an externalsurface of the dental device 110, or at any other desired location.Information gathered and/or received by the accelerometer 113, gyroscope114, compass 115, transceiver 117, the camera 124, or any combinationthereof, may be transmitted to any device in the system 100, such as forfurther processing.

The dental device 110 may further include a toothbrush head 118, whichmay be configured to be removable. In certain embodiments, the firstuser 101 may have his own toothbrush head 118 and the second user 105may also have his own toothbrush head 118. Each toothbrush head 118 mayinclude a communications tag 119, such as a RFID tag, NFC tag, othertag, or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, thecommunications tag 119 may be a passive communications tag, which mayreceive energy from a radio frequency field generated by the transceiver117 antenna in order to activate. In certain embodiments, thecommunications tag 119 may be an active communications tag, which mayhave its own power source and transceiver/antenna to allow it tocommunicatively pair with the dental device 110 without requiring theenergy emitted by the transceiver 117 of the dental device 110. Thecommunications tag 119 may store one or more identifiers associated withthe user that uses the toothbrush head 118. For example, if the firstuser's 101 name is John Smith, the identifier in the communications tag119 may indicate his name, a hash of his name, or any other identifierthat may be utilized to identify the first user 101. The communicationstag 119 may also store information relating to a particular user'sdental habits, such as, but not limited to, when the user brushes histeeth, how long the user brushes his teeth, the brushing style that theuser uses when brushing his teeth, usage patterns for using the dentaldevice 110, demographic information for the user, sensor measurementsobtained from sensors of the dental device 110 and/or toothbrush head118, dental and/or medical record information for a user, any otherinformation, or any combination thereof.

When the toothbrush head 118 is attached to the dental device 110, thedental device 110 may communicatively pair with the communications tag119 in the toothbrush head 118. The dental device 110 may accomplishthis by utilizing the transceiver 117, which may emit a radio frequencyfield or signal that may activate the communications tag 119 in thetoothbrush head 118. Upon activation, the communications tag 119 maytransmit any information stored therein to the transceiver 117 of thedental device 110, which may then forward the information to the firstand second user devices 102, 106, and/or to the communications network135, or to any other device. In certain embodiments, the informationobtained from the communications tag 119 may be stored in the memory 111of the dental device 110. The information obtained from thecommunications tag 119 may be utilized to identify the user that isusing the dental device 110. When the user removes the toothbrush head118 and a different user attaches a different toothbrush head 118 to thedental device 110, the information stored in the communications tag 119of the different toothbrush head 118 may be utilized to identify thedifferent user that is using the dental device. In certain embodiments,instead of using the communications tag 119, the toothbrush head 118 mayinclude a quick response (QR) code, barcode, or other scannable codewhich may be read by the dental device and/or first and second userdevices 102, 106. The codes may include the same or similar informationthat may be included on the communications tag 119.

In certain embodiments, the toothbrush head 118 may include one or moresensors. For example, the toothbrush head 118 may include a temperaturesensor 120, which may be configured to measure the temperature of thedental device 110 and/or the toothbrush head 118. The temperature sensor120 is illustratively shown as being on the head of the toothbrush head118 in FIG. 2, however, the temperature sensor 120 may be positioned atany other suitable location on the dental device 110. The toothbrushhead 118 may also include a sensor 121, which may be configured tomonitor the user's blood sugar levels, glucose levels, pH levels, plaquelevels, bacteria levels, heart rate, or any other biologically-relatedmetrics, such as when the user is using the dental device 110. Thetoothbrush head 118 may also include a camera 122, which may be similarto camera 124. In certain embodiments, the camera 122 may be configuredto record media content. For example, when a user is using the dentaldevice 110, the camera 122 may be utilized to record video content ofthe user's mouth while the user is brushing his teeth. The toothbrushhead 118 my further include a plurality of bristles 123, which the usermay use to brush his teeth. In certain embodiments, by using the camera122 and/or the sensor 121, the age and/or wear of the bristles 123 maybe determined. Information indicating the age and/or wear of thebristles 123 may be utilized by the system 100 to determine whether thetoothbrush head 118 needs to be replaced.

In certain embodiments, the system 100 may include a dispenser 125,which may be configured to dispense toothpaste, mouthwash, teethwhitening fluid, any other dental solution or cleaning agent, or anycombination thereof. The dispenser 125 may be configured to receive aportion of a container 126 that contains toothpaste or other dentalsolutions or cleaning agents. The dispenser 125 may include a chip ortransceiver 127, which may include any functionality and componentry ofa transceiver and may include an antenna, which may be utilized totransmit and receive signals to communicate with the various devices inthe system 100, such as, but not limited to, first user device 102,second user device 106, dental device 110, servers 140, 145, cell site137, the toothbrush head 118, or any combination thereof. In certainembodiments, the transceiver 127 may enable the dispenser 125 tocommunicate using various types of wireless technologies, such as, butnot limited to RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, Zigbee,Z-Wave, and other such technologies. The transceiver 127 may allow thedispenser 125 to pair with the dental device 110, the first and seconduser devices 102, 106, the toothbrush head 118, any other device in thesystem 100, or any combination thereof. The transceiver 127 may alsoallow any information stored in the components of the dispenser 125 tobe transmitted to any of the devices in the system 100.

The dispenser 125 may also include an area 128 in which the user mayplace the head of the toothbrush head 118 so as to receive toothpaste oranother cleaning agent from the dispenser 125. In certain embodiments,instead of placing the head of the toothbrush head 118 in the area 128,the user may place a cup or other receptacle in the area 128 so as toreceive the toothpaste or other cleaning agent housed in the container126. When the head of the toothbrush head 118 or the cup is placed inthe area 128, a sensor 130 (e.g. infrared sensor or other sensor) maydetect the presence of the head or the cup and cause the toothpaste orother cleaning agent to be dispensed via the opening 129 onto the headof the toothbrush head 118 or into the cup that has been positioned inthe area 128. In certain embodiments, the dispenser 125 may include amemory 132 that stores instructions and a processor 133 that executesthe instructions to perform various operations performed by thedispenser 125. In certain embodiments, the processor 133 may behardware, software, or a combination thereof. The memory 132 may beconfigured to store any information about the dispenser 125, such as,but not limited to, information identifying the model of the dispenser125, information identifying the types of toothpaste and/or cleaningagents that may be dispensed from the dispenser 125, technicalspecifications of the dispenser 125, how and when the dispenser 125 isactivated and/or used, any other information associated with the dentaldevice 110, an identification of users that use the dispenser 125, anyother information, or any combination thereof. The dispenser 125 mayalso include a power source 134, which may be configured to power thecomponents of the dispenser 125. In certain embodiments, radio frequencyfields emitted by the transceiver 117 antenna of the dental device 110may be utilized to power the dispenser 125, such as if the dispenser 125includes a RFID tag and/or NFC tag.

The system 100 may also include a communications network 135. Thecommunications network 135 of the system 100 may be configured to linkeach of the devices in the system 100 to one another. For example, thecommunications network 135 may be utilized by the first user device 102to connect with other devices within or outside communications network135, such as, but not limited to, dental device 110, dispenser 125,servers 140, 145, toothbrush head 118, database 155, or any combinationthereof. Additionally, the communications network 135 may be configuredto transmit, generate, and receive any information and data traversingthe system 100. In certain embodiments, the communications network 135may include any number of servers, databases, or other componentry, andmay be controlled by a service provider. In certain embodiments, thecommunications network 135 may be subscribed to by the first and secondusers 101, 105. The communications network 135 may also include and beconnected to a radio access network, a cloud-computing network, an IMSnetwork, a VoIP network, a VoLTE network, an LTE network, a wirelessnetwork, an Ethernet network, a fiber network, a satellite network, abroadband network, a cellular network, a private network, a cablenetwork, the Internet, an internet protocol network, a multiprotocollabel switching (MPLS) network, a content distribution network, aninternet protocol television network, a short-range wireless network anynetwork, or any combination thereof. Illustratively, servers 140, 145are shown as being included within communications network 135. Incertain embodiments, the communications network 135 may be part of asingle autonomous system that is located in a particular geographicregion, or be part of multiple autonomous systems that span severalgeographic regions.

In certain embodiments, the communications network 135 may be configuredto deliver content and services using an internet protocol suite and byutilizing packet switching. The communications network 135 may providethe ability to stream information and media requested by the first andsecond users 101, 105, the dispenser 125, and/or the dental device 110,provide for media-on-demand, provide any type of content, provide anytype of information, or any combination thereof. The communicationsnetwork 135 may include one or more cell sites 137 that may be utilizedto communicate with the first user device 102, the second user device106, the dental device 110, the toothbrush head 118, the dispenser 125,the server 160, any other device, or any combination thereof. In certainembodiments, the cell site 137 may include hardware components thatinclude any of the functional features of a radio access network. Thecell site 137 may be configured to provide cellular services (e.g. LTEservices), wireless services, any type of services, or any combinationthereof. Additionally, the cell site 137 may include any of thefunctionality of a base station utilized in mobile communicationnetworks. For example, the cell site 137 may include any number ofantennae, transceivers, digital signal processors, control electronics,GPS receivers, electrical power sources, radio equipment, andelectronics equipment to create a cell for the communications network135. The cell site 137 may be configured to communicate with and receivecontent and data streams from any other network, from any device in thesystem 100, or any combination thereof.

Notably, the functionality of the system 100 may be supported andexecuted by using any combination of the servers 140, 145, and 160. Incertain embodiments, the servers 140, 145, and 160 may be contentdelivery servers and may include any functionality associated withcontent delivery servers. In certain embodiments, the server 140 mayinclude a memory 141 that includes instructions, and a processor 142that executes the instructions from the memory 141 to perform variousoperations that are performed by the server 140. The processor 142 maybe hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Similarly, the server145 may include a memory 146 that includes instructions, and a processor147 that executes the instructions from the memory 146 to perform thevarious operations that are performed by the server 145. In certainembodiments, the servers 140, 145, and 160 may be network servers,routers, gateways, computers, mobile devices or any other suitablecomputing device. In certain embodiments, the servers 140, 145 may becommunicatively linked to the communications network 135, any network,any device in the system 100, or any combination thereof.

The database 155 of the system 100 may be utilized to store and relayinformation that traverses the system 100, cache content that traversesthe system 100, store data about each of the devices in the system 100and perform any other typical functions of a database. In certainembodiments, the database 155 may be connected to or reside within thecommunications network 135, any other network, or a combination thereof.Additionally, the database 155, in certain embodiments, may serve as acontent source for stored content that may be accessed by thecommunication network 135 so that the communication network 135 mayobtain content for the first and second users 101, 105 in an efficientand effective manner. In certain embodiments, the database 155 may serveas a central repository for content and information requested by thefirst and second users 101, 105 and/or other devices in the system 100.Furthermore, the database 155 may include a processor and memory or beconnected to a processor and memory to perform the various operationassociated with the database 155.

In certain embodiments, the database 155 may be connected to the servers140, 145, 160, the cell site 137, first user device 102, second userdevice 106, the dental device 110, the dispenser 125, the toothbrushhead 118, or any combination thereof. The database 155 may also storeinformation and metadata obtained from the system 100, store mediacontent; store metadata and other information associated with the firstand second users 101, 105; store user profiles associated with the firstand second users 101, 105; store device profiles associated with thefirst user device 102, the second user device 106, the dental device110, the toothbrush head 118, the dispenser 125, and/or other device inthe system 100; store location information; store communicationstraversing the system 100; store user preferences; store informationassociated with any device or signal in the system 100; storeinformation relating to patterns of usage relating to any of the devicesin the system 100; store content; store information utilized foridentifying communications network 135; store network conditioninformation; store lists identifying all devices associated with aparticular user; store appointment information (e.g. dentalappointments) for the first and second users 101, 105; store informationcollected from any of the sensors and/or camera 124 of the dental device110; store information collected from any of the sensors and/or camera122 of the toothbrush head 118; store any dental information for thefirst and second users 101, 105; store information identifying actionsto be performed with the dental device 110; store informationidentifying whether the actions have been performed; store informationgenerated by or associated with the dental device 110, the dispenser125, the first user device 102, the second user device 106, and/or thetoothbrush head 118; store any information traversing the system 100;store any information generated by the system 100, or any combinationthereof. Furthermore, the database 155 may be configured to processqueries sent to it by any device in the system 100.

Operatively, the system 100 may provide a connected dental device 110,as shown in the following exemplary scenario. In the example scenario,the first user 101 may be a person that is getting ready to go to workand is about to brush his teeth. While approaching his bathroom, thefirst user 101 may bring the first user device 102 (e.g. smartphone)within pairing range of the dental device 110 and/or the dispenser 125.For this example, the pairing range may mean the distance between thefirst user device 102 and the dental device 110 and/or dispenser 125that effectively allows the dental device 110 and/or dispenser 125 to bewithin communication range of the first user device 102. Once withinpairing range, the first user device 102 may be paired, such as viaBluetooth, NFC, or other wireless technologies, with the dental device110 and/or dispenser 125. Once paired, the dental device 110 maytransmit any information associated with and/or stored on the dentaldevice 110 to the first user device 102, and the dispenser 125 maytransmit any information associated with and/or stored on the dispenser125 to the first user device 102. Such information may include, but isnot limited to, a power level of the dental device 110, informationidentifying when the dental device 110 was last used and for how long,historical information pertaining to the use of the dental device 110, apower level of the dispenser 125, information identifying when thedispenser 125 was last used and how often the dispenser 125 has beenused, historical information pertaining to the use of the dispenser 125,along with any other information.

The first user 101 may proceed to attach his personal toothbrush head118 to the dental device 110, and the dental device 110 may pair withthe toothbrush head 118 and obtain any information contained in thecommunications tag 119 of the toothbrush head 118 by utilizing thetransceiver 117. In certain embodiments, the dental device 110 mayobtain the information from a QR code, barcode, magnetic strip, or otherreadable medium of the toothbrush head 118. The obtained information mayindicate the name of the first user 101, the first user's 101 brushingor dental habits, when the first user 101 last used the toothbrush head118 with the dental device 110, any information associated with use ofthe dental device 110 and/or dispenser 125, any other informationassociated with the first user 101, or any combination thereof. Once thetoothbrush head 118 is attached and paired to the dental device 110, thesystem 100 may track information associated with the first user 101, thedental device 110, the dispenser 125, and/or the toothbrush head 118. Incertain embodiments, the information may be tracked once the first user101 activates the dental device 110 and while the first user 101 isusing the dental device 110 to brush his teeth. The information that maybe tracked may include, but is not limited to, any information obtainedfrom any of the sensors of the dental device 110 and/or toothbrush head118 (e.g. blood sugar levels, pH levels, temperature measurements,etc.), any calculations performed by the dental device 110, anyinformation obtained from the dispenser 125, any media content from thecameras 122, 124, any other information, or any combination thereof.Additional information that may be tracked may include the angle atwhich the first user 101 holds the dental device 110 while using thedental device 110, the brushing speed mode selected by the first user101 (e.g. modes associated with how fast the bristles 123 vibrate ormove), the brushing technique that the first user 101 uses while usingthe dental device 110, the pressure at which the first user 101 holdsthe toothbrush head 118 against his teeth (e.g. by using a pressuresensor of the dental device 110), the duration of time that the firstuser 101 uses the dental device 110, the times of day that the firstuser 101 activates and/or uses the dental device 110, how often thefirst user 101 uses the dispenser 125 to dispense toothpaste or othercleaning agents, power levels of the dental device 110 and/or thedispenser 125, any other information, or a combination thereof. Thetracked information may be sent to any device or network in the system100.

Based on the tracked information, the system 100 may determine one ormore actions to be performed by the first user 101 with the dentaldevice 110, one or more actions to be performed by the first user 101with the dispenser 125, one or more actions to be performed with thetoothbrush head 118, one or more other actions to be performed by thefirst user 101, or any combination thereof. For example, based on mediacontent received from the cameras 122, 124, the system 100 may determinethat the first user 101 has plaque buildup in between several of histeeth. In this case, the system 100 may determine that the first user101 needs to use an oral irrigator, water flosser, or traditional dentalfloss in addition to using the dental device 110. As another example,based on the tracked information obtained from the sensors of thetoothbrush head 118, the dental device 110, and/or the dispenser 125,the system 100 may determine that the first user 101 did not brush histeeth for the duration recommended by his dentist. In this case, thesystem 100 may determine that the first user 101 needs to continue usingthe dental device 110 for additional time until the recommended durationis reached. The system 100 may then proceed to generate and transmit anotification or alert indicating the action to be performed. Forexample, either the dental device 110, the servers 140, 145, or acombination thereof, may transmit the notification indicating the actionto be performed to the first user device 102. An application of thefirst user device 102 may display the notification via a graphical userinterface of the application, cause the notification to be outputted asa sound (e.g. speech or other sound), cause a light of the first userdevice 102 to activate and shine, or any combination thereof.

The notification may be viewed and/or heard by the first user 101, whomay then proceed to perform the action indicated in the notification. Ifthe first user 101 has not performed the action within a thresholdperiod of time or at a time specified by the first user 101 or thesystem 100, the system 100 may transmit another alert to the first userdevice 102 reminding the first user 101 to perform the action. If theuser has performed the action specified in the notification, the system100 may confirm this by obtaining information again from the dentaldevice 110, dispenser 125, toothbrush head 118, or a combinationthereof. Based on the additional information, the system 100 may confirmwhether the action was successfully completed. If the action isconfirmed to be successfully completed, the system 100 may generate anotification indicating successful completion of the action and transmitthe notification to the first user device 102. The notification may beoutputted via the first user device 102. In certain embodiments, thesystem 100 may cause the dental device 110, the dispenser 125, and/orthe toothbrush head 118 to transmit notifications or alerts to the firstuser device 102 reminding the first user 101 of an upcoming dentistappointment, reminding the first user 101 when he has to brush his teethnext, reminding the first user 101 to recharge the dental device 110,reminding the first user 101 to refill the container 126 of thedispenser 125, reminding the first user 101 to use the dispenser 125while using the dental device 110, reminding the first user 101 to usedental floss, reminding the first user 101 to use oral irrigators orother dental devices, reminding the first user 101 to brush each andevery tooth, and/or any other notifications. Once the first user 101 isdone using the dental device 110, the first user 101 may remove histoothbrush head 118 and allow the second user 105 to attach hertoothbrush head 118 to the dental device 110. The system 100 may thentrack the second user's 105 use of the dental device 110, dispenser 125,and/or the toothbrush head 118 and transmit notifications to the seconduser device 106 accordingly. Notably, the functionality of the system100 may incorporate any of the functionality of the method 300 describedbelow and/or any other functionality described herein.

Notably, as shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 may perform any of theoperative functions disclosed herein by utilizing the processingcapabilities of server 160, the storage capacity of the database 155, orany other component of the system 100 to perform the operative functionsdisclosed herein. The server 160 may include one or more processors 162that may be configured to process any of the various functions of thesystem 100. The processors 162 may be software, hardware, or acombination of hardware and software. Additionally, the server 160 mayalso include a memory 161, which stores instructions that the processors162 may execute to perform various operations of the system 100. Forexample, the server 160 may assist in processing loads handled by thevarious devices in the system 100, such as, but not limited to,communicatively pairing a dental device 110 with a user device;analyzing identifiers of components of the dental device 110;identifying users associated with the dental device 110 based onanalyzing the identifiers; tracking, based on the use of the dentaldevice 110, information associated with the users and the dental device110; determining actions to be performed with the dental device 110;generating notifications indicating the actions to be performed;transmitting the notifications to the user device; determining if theaction has been performed; transmitting reminders to perform the action;transmitting notifications indicating successful completion of theaction; providing status information for the dental device 110 (or otherdevices in the system 100); setting appointments with dentalprofessionals; and performing any other suitable operations conducted inthe system 100 or otherwise. In one embodiment, multiple servers 160 maybe utilized to process the functions of the system 100. The server 160and other devices in the system 100 may utilize the database 155 forstoring data about the devices in the system 100 or any otherinformation that is associated with the system 100. In one embodiment,multiple databases 155 may be utilized to store data in the system 100.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates a specific example configuration of thevarious components of the system 100 the system 100 may include anyconfiguration of the components, which may include using a greater orlesser number of the components. For example, the system 100 isillustratively shown as including a first user device 102, a second userdevice 106, a dental device 110, a toothbrush head 118, a dispenser 125,a container 126, a communications network 135, a cell site 137, a server140, a server 145, a server 160, and a database 155. However, the system100 may include multiple first user devices 102, multiple second userdevices 106, multiple dental devices 110, multiple toothbrush heads 118,multiple dispensers 125, multiple containers 126, multiplecommunications networks 135, multiple cell sites 137, multiple servers140, multiple servers 145, multiple servers 160, and multiple databases155, or any number of any of the other components in the system 100.Furthermore, in certain embodiments, substantial portions of thefunctionality and operations of the system 100 may be performed by othernetworks and systems that may be connected to system 100.

As shown in FIG. 3, an exemplary method 300 for providing a connecteddental device 110 is schematically illustrated, and may include, at step302, communicatively pairing a dental device 110 with a user device of afirst user 101. For example, the first user 101 may activate short-rangewireless functionality on the first user device 102 and communicativelypair the first user device 102 with the dental device 110. The firstuser device 102 may also be paired with the dispenser 125 or any otherdevice in the system 100. In certain embodiments, the pairing of thedental device 110 with the user device may be performed by orfacilitated by utilizing the first user device 102, the second userdevice 106, the dental device 110, the dispenser 125, the cell site 137,the server 140, the server 145, the server 160, the communicationsnetwork 135, any combination thereof, or by utilizing any otherappropriate program, network, system, or device. At step 304, the method300 may include analyzing a first identifier of a first component of thedental device 110. For example, using the above scenario, the firstcomponent may be the toothbrush head 118 of the dental device 110, andthe first identifier may be stored in the communications tag 119 of thetoothbrush head 118. The first identifier may be utilized to identifythe first user 101 by name, by a unique code, or by other means. Incertain embodiments, the analyzing of the first identifier may beperformed by utilizing the first user device 102, the second user device106, the dental device 110, cell site 137, the server 140, the server145, the server 160, the communications network 135, any combinationthereof, or by utilizing any other appropriate program, network, system,or device.

At step 306, method 300 may include identifying the first user 101 ofthe dental device 110 based on the analyzed first identifier. In certainembodiments, the identifying of the first user 101 may be performed byutilizing the first user device 102, the second user device 106, thedental device 110, cell site 137, the dispenser 125, the server 140, theserver 145, the server 160, the communications network 135, anycombination thereof, or by utilizing any other appropriate program,network, system, or device. At step 308, the method 300 may includetracking, based on the use of the dental device 110 by the first user101, information associated with the first user 101 and the dentaldevice 110. For example, the information that may be tracked may includethe information stored in the communications tag 119 of the toothbrushhead 118, the information stored on the dental device 110, anyinformation obtained from any of the sensors of the dental device 110and/or toothbrush head 118 (e.g. blood sugar levels, pH levels,temperature measurements, etc.), any calculations performed by thedental device 110, any information obtained from the dispenser 125, anymedia content from the cameras 122, 124, any other information, or anycombination thereof. As another example, the information that may betracked may include the angle at which the first user 101 holds thedental device 110 while using the dental device 110, the pressure atwhich the first user 101 holds the toothbrush head 118 against histeeth, the duration of time that the first user 101 uses the dentaldevice 110, the times of day that the first user 101 activates and/oruses the dental device 110, how often the first user 101 uses thedispenser 125 to dispense toothpaste or other cleaning agents, any otherinformation, power levels of the dental device 110 and/or the dispenser125, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the tracking maybe performed by utilizing the first user device 102, the second userdevice 106, the dental device 110, the dispenser 125, cell site 137, theserver 140, the server 145, the server 160, the communications network135, any combination thereof, or by utilizing any other appropriateprogram, network, system, or device.

At step 310, the method 300 may include determining, based on theinformation associated with the first user 101 and the dental device110, an action to be performed with the dental device 110, by the firstuser 101, with the dispenser 125, and/or otherwise. For example, basedon analyzing the tracked information, the analyzed tracked informationmay indicate that the first user 101 did not brush several teeth on theleft side of the first user's 101 jaw while the first user 101 brushedhis teeth. As another example, the tracked information may indicate thatthe charge remaining in the power source 116 has fallen below athreshold level since or while the first user 101 used the dental device110 to brush his teeth. In certain embodiments, the determining may beperformed by utilizing the first user device 102, the second user device106, the dental device 110, the dispenser 125, cell site 137, the server140, the server 145, the server 160, the communications network 135, anycombination thereof, or by utilizing any other appropriate program,network, system, or device. At step 312, the method 300 may includegenerating a first notification or a first reminder that indicates thedetermined action to be performed. In certain embodiments, thegeneration of the first notification may be performed by utilizing thefirst user device 102, the second user device 106, the dental device110, the dispenser 125, cell site 137, the server 140, the server 145,the server 160, the communications network 135, any combination thereof,or by utilizing any other appropriate program, network, system, ordevice. At step 314, the method 300 may include transmitting the firstnotification to the user device. For example, the dental device 110 maytransmit the generated notification to the first user device 102 fordisplay on a user interface of an application of the first user device102. In certain embodiments, the transmitting may be performed byutilizing the first user device 102, the second user device 106, thedental device 110, the dispenser 125, cell site 137, the server 140, theserver 145, the server 160, the communications network 135, anycombination thereof, or by utilizing any other appropriate program,network, system, or device.

At step 316, the method 300 may include determining if the actionidentified in the notification has been performed. For example, if thenotification indicated that the first user 101 needs to recharge thepower source 116 of the dental device, the system 100 may determine ifthe first user 101 has recharged the power source 116, such as to athreshold level. As another example, if the notification indicated thatthe first user 101 needed to brush several teeth on the left side of thefirst user's 101 mouth, the system 100 may determine by analyzingadditional information obtained from the sensors, cameras 122, 124,and/or other componentry of the dental device 110 whether the first user101 brushed the teeth on the left side of the first user's 101 mouth. Incertain embodiments, the determining may be performed by utilizing thefirst user device 102, the second user device 106, the dental device110, the dispenser 125, cell site 137, the server 140, the server 145,the server 160, the communications network 135, any combination thereof,or by utilizing any other appropriate program, network, system, ordevice. If, at step 316, it is determined that the first user 101 hasnot performed the action identified in the first notification, themethod 300 may include generating and transmitting a second notificationor second reminder to the first user device 102. The second notificationmay remind the first user 101 that the first user 101 needs to performthe action. In certain embodiments, the generating and transmitting maybe performed by utilizing the first user device 102, the second userdevice 106, the dental device 110, the dispenser 125, cell site 137, theserver 140, the server 145, the server 160, the communications network135, any combination thereof, or by utilizing any other appropriateprogram, network, system, or device.

If, however, at step 316, it is determined that the first user 101 hasperformed the action identified in the notification, the method 300 mayinclude proceeding to step 320, which may include transmitting a thirdnotification to the first user device 102 indicating that the action hasbeen successfully performed. For example, using the above example, ifthe first user 101 brushed the teeth on the left side of his mouth, thesystem 100 may generate a notification indicating successful completionof the brushing of his teeth and transmit the notification to the firstuser device 102. In certain embodiments, the generating and transmittingof the third notification may be performed by utilizing the first userdevice 102, the second user device 106, the dental device 110, thedispenser 125, cell site 137, the server 140, the server 145, the server160, the communications network 135, any combination thereof, or byutilizing any other appropriate program, network, system, or device. Atstep 322, the method 300 may include generating and transmitting afourth notification that may provide a status associated with the dentaldevice 110, the dispenser 125, or any other device in the system 100.For example, the fourth notification may indicate a power level of thedental device 110, whether the dental device 110 is in use or not inuse, information collected from the sensors of the dental device 110and/or toothbrush head 118, information indicating the amount of daysuntil the first user's 102 next dental appointment, informationindicating a usage pattern associated with how the first user 101 usesthe dental device 110, information summarizing the brushing style thefirst user 101 uses when using the dental device 110, informationidentifying how much toothpaste or cleaning agents were dispensed fromthe dispenser 125, whether any cavities were detected, whether any gumdisease was detected, any media content obtained by the cameras 122,124, any other information or content, or a combination thereof. Also,at step 322, the method 300 may include setting an appointment for thefirst user 101 to visit a dentist and/or providing a reminder for suchan appointment. In certain embodiments, the fourth notification and/orthe setting of the appointment may be performed by utilizing the firstuser device 102, the second user device 106, the dental device 110, thedispenser 125, cell site 137, the server 140, the server 145, the server160, the communications network 135, any combination thereof, or byutilizing any other appropriate program, network, system, or device.Notably, the method 300 may further incorporate any of the functionalityand features as described for system 100 or as otherwise describedherein.

Notably, the system 100 and methods disclosed herein may includeadditional functionality and features. For example, in certainembodiments, the system 100 and methods may include enabling the system100 to determine if the bristles 123 have been worn out beyond athreshold amount based on analyzing the media content from the cameras122, 124. If the bristles 123 are worn out beyond the threshold amount,the system 100 may transmit a notification to the first user device 102indicating that the first user 101 has to replace the toothbrush head118. In certain embodiments, the system 100 and methods may includedetecting usage patterns associated with the first user's 101 use of thedental device 110 and/or the dispenser 125. For example, the system 100may determine that the first user 101 only uses the dental device 110once a day. In such a scenario, the system 100 may transmit an alert ornotification to the first user device 102 indicating that the first user101 needs to brush his teeth at least twice daily. In certainembodiments, the system 100 and methods may include transmittingnotifications to the first user device 102 indicating that the firstuser 101 needs to adjust the angle at which the first user 101 brusheshis teeth, notifications indicating that certain portions of teeth havenot been brushed, notifications indicating that the first user's 101tongue has not been brushed, notifications indicating that the firstuser 101 has not flossed his teeth, notifications that the first user101 should reduce his sugar intake based on his detected blood sugarlevels, notifications that the first user 101 may have a fever based onthe temperature measurements from the temperature sensor 120,notifications indicating that the first user's 101 gum line has recededand that a dental appointment is necessary, notifications indicating thepresence of cavities, notifications indicating the presence of broken orchipped teeth, notifications indicating abnormal pH levels,notifications indicating any type of dental condition, or anycombination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the system 100 and methods may determine whetherthe first user 101 or the second user 105 has a dental disease orcondition based on comparing the tracked information to previous photosor videos taken of the first or second user's 101, 105 mouth. In certainembodiments, the system 100 and methods may be utilized to determinemeasure the age of the toothbrush head 118 by counting each time thefirst user 101 attaches the toothbrush head 118 to the dental device110. In certain embodiments, the system 100 and methods may be utilizedto detect inflammation in gums or in other areas of the first user's 101mouth. In certain embodiments, the notifications may be displayed on thefirst and second user devices 102, 106, and, in certain embodiments, thenotifications may be displayed or outputted on the dental device 110itself, such as via the display 131. In certain embodiments, the dentaldevice 110, the toothbrush head 118, and/or the dispenser 125 may eachhave their own internet protocol addresses, which may be utilized by thecommunications network 135, servers 140, 145, and the first and seconduser devices 102, 106 to identify the dental device 110, the toothbrushhead 118, and/or dispenser 125 and communicate with them.

In certain embodiments, the notifications may be sent to a display oroutput device of a connected vehicle, a display or output device of aconnected home, to a display or output device of a connected dog collar,or to any other connected device. In certain embodiments, the system 100and methods may be cause signals to be sent to the dispenser 125 toautomatically cause the toothpaste and/or cleaning agents to bedispensed from the dispenser 125 upon receipt of the signals. In certainembodiments, any tracked information may be sent to one or more devicesof a dentist taking care of the first user 101. This may allow thedentist to diagnose conditions and/or recommend dental care regimensremotely. Once conditions are diagnosed and/or regimens are made, thedentist may use one of her devices to transmit notifications to thedental device 110, the dispenser 125, and/or the first and second userdevices 102, 106 to indicate the diagnosed conditions and/or recommendedregimens. In certain embodiments, the system 100 and methods may beutilized to track any number of users.

Referring now also to FIG. 4, at least a portion of the methodologiesand techniques described with respect to the exemplary embodiments ofthe system 100 can incorporate a machine, such as, but not limited to,computer system 400, or other computing device within which a set ofinstructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one ormore of the methodologies or functions discussed above. The machine maybe configured to facilitate various operations conducted by the system100. For example, the machine may be configured to, but is not limitedto, assist the system 100 by providing processing power to assist withprocessing loads experienced in the system 100, by providing storagecapacity for storing instructions or data traversing the system 100, orby assisting with any other operations conducted by or within the system100.

In some embodiments, the machine may operate as a standalone device. Insome embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., usingcommunications network 135, another network, or a combination thereof)to and assist with operations performed by other machines and systems,such as, but not limited to, the first user device 102, the second userdevice 106, the dental device 110, the toothbrush head 118, thedispenser 125, the container 126, the cell site 137, the server 140, theserver 145, the database 155, the server 160, or any combinationthereof. The machine may be connected with any component in the system100. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacityof a server or a client user machine in a server-client user networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment. The machine may comprise a server computer, aclient user computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a laptopcomputer, a desktop computer, a control system, a network router, switchor bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions(sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by thatmachine. Further, while a single machine is illustrated, the term“machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines thatindividually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructionsto perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

The computer system 400 may include a processor 402 (e.g., a centralprocessing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU, or both), a mainmemory 404 and a static memory 406, which communicate with each othervia a bus 408. The computer system 400 may further include a videodisplay unit 410, which may be, but is not limited to, a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), a flat panel, a solid state display, or a cathode raytube (CRT). The computer system 400 may include an input device 412,such as, but not limited to, a keyboard, a cursor control device 414,such as, but not limited to, a mouse, a disk drive unit 416, a signalgeneration device 418, such as, but not limited to, a speaker or remotecontrol, and a network interface device 420.

The disk drive unit 416 may include a machine-readable medium 422 onwhich is stored one or more sets of instructions 424, such as, but notlimited to, software embodying any one or more of the methodologies orfunctions described herein, including those methods illustrated above.The instructions 424 may also reside, completely or at least partially,within the main memory 404, the static memory 406, or within theprocessor 402, or a combination thereof, during execution thereof by thecomputer system 400. The main memory 404 and the processor 402 also mayconstitute machine-readable media.

Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to,application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays andother hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement themethods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatusand systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety ofelectronic and computer systems. Some embodiments implement functions intwo or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices withrelated control and data signals communicated between and through themodules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit.Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, andhardware implementations.

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, themethods described herein are intended for operation as software programsrunning on a computer processor. Furthermore, software implementationscan include, but not limited to, distributed processing orcomponent/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtualmachine processing can also be constructed to implement the methodsdescribed herein.

The present disclosure contemplates a machine-readable medium 422containing instructions 424 so that a device connected to thecommunications network 135, another network, or a combination thereof,can send or receive voice, video or data, and to communicate over thecommunications network 135, another network, or a combination thereof,using the instructions. The instructions 424 may further be transmittedor received over the communications network 135, another network, or acombination thereof, via the network interface device 420.

While the machine-readable medium 422 is shown in an example embodimentto be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should betaken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralizedor distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) thatstore the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readablemedium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by themachine and that causes the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies of the present disclosure.

The terms “machine-readable medium,” “machine-readable device, or“computer-readable device” shall accordingly be taken to include, butnot be limited to: memory devices, solid-state memories such as a memorycard or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile)memories, random access memories, or other re-writable (volatile)memories; magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk or tape; orother self-contained information archive or set of archives isconsidered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storagemedium. The “machine-readable medium,” “machine-readable device,” or“computer-readable device” may be non-transitory, and, in certainembodiments, may not include a wave or signal per se. Accordingly, thedisclosure is considered to include any one or more of amachine-readable medium or a distribution medium, as listed herein andincluding art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which thesoftware implementations herein are stored.

The illustrations of arrangements described herein are intended toprovide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments,and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all theelements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use ofthe structures described herein. Other arrangements may be utilized andderived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions andchanges may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure.Figures are also merely representational and may not be drawn to scale.Certain proportions thereof may be exaggerated, while others may beminimized. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Thus, although specific arrangements have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated toachieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific arrangementshown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations orvariations of various embodiments and arrangements of the invention.Combinations of the above arrangements, and other arrangements notspecifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in theart upon reviewing the above description. Therefore, it is intended thatthe disclosure not be limited to the particular arrangement(s) disclosedas the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but thatthe invention will include all embodiments and arrangements fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, anddescribing embodiments of this invention. Modifications and adaptationsto these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art andmay be made without departing from the scope or spirit of thisinvention. Upon reviewing the aforementioned embodiments, it would beevident to an artisan with ordinary skill in the art that saidembodiments can be modified, reduced, or enhanced without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the claims described below.

We claim:
 1. A dental device, comprising: a memory that storesinstructions; and a processor that executes the instructions to performoperations, the operations comprising: monitoring, based on use of thedental device by a first user, first information associated with thefirst user and the dental device, wherein the first informationassociated with the first user and the dental device is obtained from asensor of the dental device; determining, based on the first informationassociated with the first user and the dental device, an action to beperformed by the first user with the dental device; transmitting, to auser device of the first user, a first notification indicating theaction to be performed with the dental device; determining, based onsecond information associated with the first user and the dental deviceobtained from the sensor, if the action has been performed with thedental device; and transmitting, if the action has been performed, asecond notification to the user device of the first user indicatingsuccessful completion of the action.
 2. The dental device of claim 1,wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, if the action hasnot been performed, a third notification to the user device remindingthe first user to perform the action with the dental device.
 3. Thedental device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprisegenerating an appointment for the first user.
 4. The dental device ofclaim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining if acomponent of the dental device needs to be replaced.
 5. The dentaldevice of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting ausage pattern associated with use of the dental device by the firstuser.
 6. The dental device of claim 5, wherein the operations furthercomprise determining, based on the usage pattern, a new action to beperformed by the first user with the dental device.
 7. The dental deviceof claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a thirdnotification to the user device indicating the new action to beperformed by the first user with the dental device.
 8. The dental deviceof claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a dentalcondition of the first user based on the first information associatedwith the first user and the dental device obtained from the sensor. 9.The dental device of claim 1, wherein the operations further compriseobtaining, from a camera of the dental device, media content of thefirst user while the first user is utilizing the dental device.
 10. Thedental device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprisemonitoring a power level of the dental device, and wherein theoperations further comprise transmitting, if the power level is below athreshold, an alert to the user device indicating that the dental deviceneeds to be recharged.
 11. The dental device of claim 1, wherein theoperations further comprise identifying the first user based on anidentifier of a component of the dental device.
 12. The dental device ofclaim 1, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a signalto a dispenser communicatively linked to the dental device to dispense asolution onto the dental device.
 13. The dental device of claim 1,wherein the operations further comprise determining a brushing techniqueutilized by the first user based on the first information associatedwith the first user and the dental device obtained from the sensor. 14.A method, comprising: monitoring, based on use of a dental device by afirst user, first information associated with the first user and thedental device, wherein the first information associated with the firstuser and the dental device is obtained from a sensor of the dentaldevice; determining, based on the first information associated with thefirst user and the dental device, an action to be performed by the firstuser with the dental device, wherein the determining is performed byutilizing instructions from a memory that are executed by a processor;transmitting, to a user device of the first user, a first notificationindicating the action to be performed with the dental device;determining, based on second information associated with the first userand the dental device obtained from the sensor, if the action has beenperformed with the dental device; and transmitting, if the action hasnot been performed, a second notification to the user device of thefirst user reminding the first user to perform the action.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising determining, based on the firstinformation associated with the first user and the dental device, apressure at which the first user holds a component of the dental deviceagainst teeth of the first user.
 16. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising determining, based on the first information associated withthe first user and the dental device, a duration of time that the firstuser utilized the dental device.
 17. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising determining, based on the first information associated withthe first user and the dental device, a brushing speed associated withthe dental device.
 18. The method of claim 14, further comprisingdetermining a blood sugar level of the first user based on the firstinformation associated with the first user and the dental device. 19.The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a temperature ofthe first user based on the first information associated with the firstuser and the dental device.
 20. A computer-readable device comprisinginstructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor toperform operations comprising: analyzing, based on use of the dentaldevice by a first user, first information associated with the first userand the dental device, wherein the first information associated with thefirst user and the dental device is obtained from a sensor of the dentaldevice; determining, based on the first information associated with thefirst user and the dental device, an action to be performed by the firstuser with the dental device; providing, to a user device of the firstuser, a first notification indicating the action to be performed withthe dental device; determining, based on second information associatedwith the first user and the dental device obtained from the sensor, ifthe action has been performed with the dental device; and providing, ifthe action has been performed, a second notification to the user deviceof the first user indicating successful completion of the action.